Sound reproducing machine



y 1933- G. EATON SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l jzy/ INVENTOR MM 222 Mai-4 TORNEY May 16, 1933.

G. EATON 1,908,738

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed April 6, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR Mam Cm ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1933 nrrso STATES PATENT OFFICE GERALD EATON, OF VIEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS A. EDISON,

INCORPORATED, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JER$EY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY somvn anteaonnome MACHINE This invention relates to sound-reproducing machines. More specifically it relates to sound-reproducing machines adapted to play either hill and dale or lateral cut records, at the will of the operator.

The object of the invention is to effect certain improvements in the class of machines mentioned above.

IVhile many of the features of invention may, within the scope of appended claims,

be embodied in machines of other construction and types, all of them are embraced in a machine which I new prefer, have constructed, operated satisfactorily, and which I shall presently proceed to describe.

Referring tothe drawings, which illustrate the now preferred physical embodiments of the features of invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with the cabinet or casing partly broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine with the lid or cover removed.

Fi 3 is a detail plan view, partly in sec- 251' tion, of the reproducer and its support.

Fig. 3A is an enlarged View showing in detail the construction of the ball and socket joint of the tone arm shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the reproducer shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is adetail side elevation of the reproducer shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing the stylus-supporting structure and illustrating, diagrammatically, the relative playing positions with respect to different types of sound records.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail plan view, partly in section, illustrating certain features of the connection between the reproducer and its support.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail side elevation illustrating certain of the features of the reproducer-supporting means.

455 Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The machine illustrated embodies many of the parts of a standard and well known 'reproducing machine to which I make no rack 17 is operatively engaged with the worm Application filed. April 6, 1928. Serial No. 267,853.

lid 11; the platform 12 within and supported 1 by the cabinet; the casing 13 of the motor (not shown) which is suspended from the platform 12 and which motor drives the turn-table 14 through the spindle 15 and also drives in synchronism the automatic feed mechanism of the reproducer comprising the worm 16, the rack 17, and the horn or amplifier 18 which carries the rack 17; the horn 18 and the parts supported thereby being mounted for. oscillation about the vertical axis of a suitably journaled rod 19 to which the horn is secured and which is raised and lowered by means of the cam 20 pivoted on theupper end of the rod, engageable with the platform 12, and provided with an operating handle 21.

It will be understood that by moving the handle 21, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the cam'20 causes the rod 19 and the horn 18 to be elevated to the dotted line position also shown in Fig. 1. In this elevated position the rack 17 is disengaged from the motor-driven worm 16 and the reproducer supported on the horn 18, or the tone arm portion thereof, is in such position that its stylus is above and clear of the record upon the turn-table. The reproducer may then be manually moved to aposition clear of the record upon the turn-table and to starting position. When the handle 21 is moved back to vertical position (shown in full lines in Fig. 1) the weight of the parts 18, 19, etc. causes them to assume the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1. In this position of parts the 16 and the stylus engages the record.

Among other now well known features, one of the advantages of the standard machine above referred to is that by virtue of the motor-driven automatic feed mechanism, the reproducing mechanism, which follows the thread or groove of the record, is not called upon to move a heavy load. In the most common form of this standard machine the horn 10 directly and rigidly supports the stylus-carrying reproducer. The horn, as

stated, is not moved by the tracking of the stylus in the record but is actuated by the motordriven automatic feed mechanism at 5 substantially the same rate or speed as it would be if operated by the record groove through the stylus. I preferred to preserve this advantage in my machine and have done so as will appear.

The machine illustrated differs from the standard machine, above described, in the reproducing mechanism and the means by which it is secured to the tone arm portion or inlet end of the horn. the reproducer-supporting means.

Detachably-secured to the tone arm portion or inlet end of the horn 18, by means of a knurled sleeve or collar 25 and a slot and pin connection 26, is an elbow 27. A goose neck 28 is connected to the elbow for limited universal. movement with respect thereto by the means shown in detail in Figs. 3, 3A, 8, and

9. One end of the goose neck 28 is formed v with a ball portion 24. adapted to seat in a socket provided in the elbow 27. The latter is recessed to form a'seat for a flanged ring or annulus 29 and is internally threaded to receive an annular nut 30 which detachably holds the ring 29 in its seat. A pair of diametrically opposed pivot pins 31, 31, pass through the ring 29 and the goose neck 28 so that the latter is capable of pivotal movement with respect to the elbow 27 about the axis of the pins 31, 31 to an extent limited by on- 'gagement of the part of the goose neck beyond the ball portion 24 with the nut 30. The ring 29 is rotatable about its axis in the elbow 27to an extent limited by the engagement of one or the other of the ends of a circumferentially extending slot 32, provided in the periphery of the ring 29, with a pin 33 secured to the elbow and extending into the slot. By virtue of these provisions the goose neck 28 and the elbow 27 maybe moved up and down and laterally with respect to each other to a limited extent.

The capability of lateral movement of the goose neck 28 with respect to its support is an important function. By attaching a suitable reproducer unit to the inlet end of the goose neck 28, both lateral cut and hill and dale records may be satisfactorily played at will. However, the horn 18 and elbow 27 are actuated by the motor-driven automatic feed mechanism 16, 17, etc. and the only parts actuated by the tracking of the stylus in the record are the reproducer and goes neck 28. The automatic feed mechanism, as stated, moves the horn at substantially the same rate 69 or speed as would be the case if it were operated through the stylus'by the record groove of hill and dale record which has 150 grooves or threads per inch. Therefore, when playing such a hill and dale record there is little or no relative lateral movement between the I shall now describe horn and the goose neck 28 to which is secured the rcproducer. On the other hand, a common type of lateral cut record has 90 grooves or threads per inch. lVhcn playing such a lateral cut record, the stylus moves laterally and must move laterally at the rate of 1/90 of an inch per revolution of the turn table whereas the horn is moved laterally by the automatic feed mechanism at such rate as though it were being actuated by a stylus moving laterally the rate of 1/150 of an inch per revolution. Therefore, when playing such lateral cut records, the stylus, reproduccr, and goose neck 28, move ahead of the horn (or the horn may be said to lag behind the goose neck) at the rate of 1/225 of an inch (1/901/150) per revolution of the turn-table In other words, in playing a lateral cut record having say a three inch playing radius (which makes a total of 270 revolutions in playing) the stylus finishes 270/225 inches laterally ahead of the position it would occupy at that time if directly connected to and compelled to move with the horn under the operation of the automatic feed mechanism. The importance of the capability of lateral movement of the goose neck 28 with respect to its support will therefore be appreciated.

It is also important to insure that the goose neck 28 and the horn be in such lateral positionwith respect to each other when the record is initially engaged by the stylus, that the groose neck 28 may move ahead of the horn above described. I provide means, as hereinafter described, for insuring that the parts mentioned shall occupy this relative position at the time of engagement of the stylus with the record. Before proceeding with the disclosure of these means, I shall describe the reproducer mechanism.

The reproducer 35 is of the magnetic p ck up type i. c. the stylus bar 36 transmits the mechanical vibrations, imparted to the stylus by the record, to the armature ot a unit (not shown) within the casing of the reproducer, which unit converts such mechanical vibrations into electrical undulations which may be electrically amplified and supplied to a loud speaking telephone or so-called loud speaker to cause to emanate from the latter sounds corresponding to those recorded upon the record and of the same or different volume, as desired. Such. electrical amplifying apparatus, loud speaker, and magnetic pick up, except as the latter is modified as hereinafter described, may be procured upon the market, are well known, and therefore need not be described in detail.

The stylus bar 36 is adapted to be actuated either by a stylus 40 for playing lateral cut records or a stylus 41 for playing hill and dale records. The styluses are so mounted upon a. common supporting member 42, secured to the casing of the reproducer 35 and to which member 42 one end of the stylus bar 36 is attached, that either stylus, when in proper playing position, will impart the )ositions with res ect to the oose neck 28 the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in which the stylus 41 is adapted to engage a hill and dale record upon the turntable to play the record, or a position at right angles thereto, i. e. as shown indotted lines in Fig. 3, in which position the stylus is adapted to engage a lateral cut record to play it. A spring secured at one of its ends follows.

The record it is desired to play is placed upon the turn-table 14:. If this record is a hill and dale record he reproducer 35 must be moved with respect to the goose neck 28 to the 7 position shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

unless, of course, it is already in that relative position. The handle 21, which is in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 is swung horizontally to place the stylus ll in proper position above and with respect to the starting groove of the record. The motor having been started, the handle 21 1S moved to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 to lower the stylus 41 into engagement with the record and to engage the rack 17 with the worm 16. The playing now proceeds and automatically continues until the end is reached. The handle 21 is now moved to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, causing the stylus l1 to be raised free and clear of the record and causing the rack 17 to be disengaged from the worm 16. By turning the handle 21 horizontally the reproducer 35 may be laterally swung clear of the record. The playing of the record may be repeated or another hill and dale record may be played by repeating the above outlined operations. If it is desired to play a lateral cut record the operation is the same except that the reproducer 35 is placed in its other pc sition, shown in dotted The stylus 4G is the conven lines in Fig. 3, with respect tothe goose neck 28, and the stylus 410 is engaged with the record instead ofthe stylus 41.

I shall now proceed to describe and explain an important feature of my invention which may be more briefly described and more read ily understood at this stage of the disclosure than would have been possible at an earlier stage.

As has been explained, the reproducer 35 and the goose neck 28 which carries it are to get-her capable oflimited horizontal angular or swinging movement with respect to the elbow 27. For convenience, I shall refer to the maximum angle through which the gooseneck 28 may so move laterally with respect to the elbow 27, as the angle A. The design of the parts and operation are such that when the reproducer is in the starting position over the record to be played e. in the position from which 'it is permitted to descend verti- V cally toward the record), the goose neck 28 occupies its extreme counter-clockwise lateral position with respect to the elbow 27, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The automatic feed mechanism 16, 17, etc. is designed to move the tone arm portion or inlet end of the horn 18 at such angular velocity as not to exceed the velocity at which it would be moved by tracking of the stylus in any record to be played by the machine if the reproducer were rigidly connected to the said tone arm portion and the automatic feed omitted. In other words, in and during the playing of any record upon the machine the inlet end of the horn 18 is caused by the automatic feed mechanism 16, 17, etc. to follow (at the same or lesser speed) the movement of the reproducer by the tracking of the stylus in the record groove or thread. lVhen hill and dale records having 150 grooves per inch are played upon the machine, the reproducer 35, in its tracking movement, moves very little if at all with respect to the elbow 27 in a lateral direction during the playing. Vith other records (such as lateral cut records having grooves per inch) played upon the machine, the reproducer 35, in its tracking movement, will move with respect to the elbow 27 in a lateral direction during the playing to a considerable angular extent but in no case will the extent of such relative angular movement from beginning toend of any of the wide range of difierent records of diflierent types playable upon the machine exceed the angle A spoken of above. Calling attention again to Fig. 2, when the reproducer 35 is in position to start playing the record upon the turn-table, the relative lateral position of'the various parts is as indicated in full lines and,

it necessary, the reproducer 35, may, during Inf.

eral position of the parts after the'playing has been completed is shown in dotted lines designated generally as E in Fig. '2. It will be noted that during the playing of the particular record, the reproducer and goose neck 2-8 have moved ahead of the elbow 27 and the inlet end of thehorn in a lateral direction through an angle which is about twothirds of the angle A spoken of above.

In View of the foregoing it will be understood that, as stated, after the playing of a record has been completed and before the playing of the same or another record is begun, the reproducer 35 (and goose neck 28) must be caused to assume the lateral position with respect to the inlet end of the horn 1.8 (and elbow 27) shown at P in full lines in Fig. 2. The machine illustrated com prises means for performing this function automatically as will now be described.

The axis of the pivot pins 31 (see Figs. 3 and 8) is not disposed exactly vertical but inclined to such extent (in the present machine about 5 degrees from the vertical) and in such direction with respect to the vertical that when the reproducer 35 is lifted up from the record, by operation of the handle 21 as above described, the weight of the reproducer 35 and goose'neck 28 assembly causes it to move automatically about the inclined axis of the pins 31, 31, and with respect to the elbow 27 and the inlet end of the horn 18 to the relative lateral position P shown in Reeapitulating: After the playing of arecord has ceased the handle 21 is operated to raise the reproducer 35. This lifts the stylus from the record. The handle 21 is turned to swing the parts horizontally While elevated, to the position shown in dotted lines at O in Fig, 2. During this elevation and/or horizontal swinging of the parts by operation of the handle 21, the reproducer and goose neck automatically and by their own weight swing, with respect to the elbow 27 and the inlet end of the horn 18, about the inclined axis of'the pins 31, 31, until the parts last mentioned occupy the relative position shown in dotted lines at O in Fig. 2. This relative position of the last mentioned parts is maintained until the stylus is re-engaged with a record upon the turn-table.

In accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have disclosed a now preferred form of my invention. It is to be borne in mind that while it is at present preferred to employ the variousfeatures and elements in the combination described, some of these may be altered and/ or omitted with out interfering with the more general results porting device providing for tracking movement of the reproducing device independently of the automatically fed supporting device when playing a record having a substantially different pitch, and means adapted to be operated to raise said reproducing device, whereby said reproducing device will automatically assume such position in respect to said supporting device as to render available the desired lost motion.

2. A sound-reproducing machine for playing at will either lateral cut or hill and dale records having substantially different pitches, a reproducing device, a supporting device therefor, automatic feed mechanism for moving said supporting device when either type of record is being played but at such rate as though it were operated by the tracking of a stylus in the record groove of the hill and dale type of record, lost motion connections between said reproducing and supporting devices providing for independent tracking movement of the reproducing device when playing lateral cut records, and means adapted to be called into "action to raise said reproducing'device from a record, thereby automatically rendering the lostmotion in said connections available whenthe said reproducing device is again caused to operate.

3. A sound-reproducing machine comprising in combination, a supporting device mounted for lateral swinging movement, a reproducing device connected to said supporting device for lateral movement with respect thereto, automatic feed mechanism for causing the supporting device to move laterally as though it were directly actuated by the reproducing device when playing a record of one type and causing the supporting device to follow but lag behind the reproduc-er when playing a record of a different type, and means adapted to be called into action to move said reproducing device away from a record of the last named type, thereby automatically restoring the said supporting and reproducing devices to the relative lateral position occupied by them when the playing of that record was begun.

4. In a sound-reproducingmachine, a reproducing device, a supporting device therefor, lost motion connections between said devices providing for record tracking movement of the reproducing device independently of the supporting device, and means adapted to be called into action to move said reproducing device away from a record, whereupon said reproducing device will automatically assume a lateral position at one limit of its independent movement with respect to said supporting device.

5. In a sound-reproducing machine, a reproducing device, a supporting device therefor, means connecting said devices for limited relative movement about a substantially horizontal axis and for limited relative lateral movement about an axis slightly inclined to the vertical, the inclination of the latter axis being such, however, that'said reproducing device is biased by gravity to one limit of said relative lateral movement.

6. An attachment for sound-reproducing machines comprising in combination, a tubular elbow adapted to be secured to the tone arm or horn of such a machine, an annular member rotatably mounted on said elbow, means for limitin the extent of such movement, a goose nec; connected to said memher for limited movement with respect thereto about an axis slightly inclined to the vertical, a reproducer pivoted on said goose neck about a vertical axis, means for yieldingly locking said reproducer in either of two po sitions of movement with respect to said goose neck, one of said two positions being the position occupied by said reproducer when operated by lateral cut records and the other being the position occupied by said reproducer when operated by hill and dale records, and said reproducer having a plurality of stylus supports.

7. In a sound-reproducing machine, a reproducing device, a supporting device therefor, a ball and socket joint connecting said devices, a member mounted on one of said devices for limited rotation with respect thereto about a substantially horizontal axis, and pivotal connections between the other of said devices and said member providing for limited movement of said reproducing device about a substantially vertical axis;

8. In a sound-reproducing machine, a reproducer, an arm to which said reproducer is connected, a sup orting device for said arm, and a connection between said device and said arm providing for lateral movement of the arm with respect to said device under the influence of the weight of the arm and parts carried thereby, said connection comprising a pivotal joint.

9. A sound-reproducing machine comprising in combination, record-supporting means, a reproducing device for converting record-produced mechanical vibrations into sound-representing electrical undulations, means for operating the record-supporting means, automatic feed mechanism, and means including a lost-motion connection between said reproducing device and said feed mechanism whereby said reproducing device may be operated by lateral cut or hill and dale records at will.

10. A sound-reproducing machine comprising in combination, record-supporting means, a reproducing device for converting record-produced mechanical vibrations into soimd-representing electrical undulations, means for operating the record-supporting means, means whereby said reproducing device may be operated by lateral cut or hill and dale records at will, and a common automatic feed mechanism operative when playing either of said types of records.

This specification signed this 5th day of April, 192s.v I

GERALD EATON. 

